Finances

I’ve had a lot of opportunity and support over the course of
my life. I’m lucky to have parents who
guided me, built my moral compass, and taught me the value of a hard day’s
work. I’ve got an education (formal and
otherwise), that few are fortunate enough to have received. All of these things have put me on a path
towards happiness and financial stability.
I’ve done my best to capitalize on all of these advantages and here I
am: happy and financially stable.

When opportunities for more responsibility and pay presented
themselves at work, I busted my ass to deserve them. When I realized I could live with three
people instead of two in the house I was renting, I got rid of a bunch of stuff
and moved into a smaller room. When I
bought clothes, I went to the thrift store first. In short, I’ve worked hard and lived frugally
for the past few years. In doing this, I
was able to put away a small nest egg.

Many of my peers, at this point in their lives, are buying
new cars or purchasing their first home.
This would seem to be the typical route of the young professional and
most folks walk down it without questioning why. But when you stop to think, it becomes clear
that these societal norms come at very high costs. Is that shiny new car with the heated
steering wheel and the satellite radio going to make you happier? Do you really need it? Because you could trade
it for a small sailboat and still have enough money to sail down to Mexico and
live like a king for a year.

That sounds pretty damn good to me. I don’t need that heated steering
wheel.